Sarah Jessica flung open her closet doors and exclaimed “This year, I’m going to go as AN INSANE DRAG QUEEN!”

Sarah Jessica Parker attends the 2014 Met Gala held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in an Oscar de la Renta gown acessorized with Fred Leighton 19th Century diamond drop earrings, a diamond and white enamel bracelet, and diamond and pearl circular brooches.

Bad instincts. That’s an over-the-top dress that didn’t need over-the-top hair, let alone Miss Piggy gloves and all that slightly obnoxious jewelry. Imagine if she’s skipped all that somewhat frantic styling choices and just let the dress speak for itself. A simple chignon and some tasteful diamonds to punctuate. This is bordering on Gypsy Rose Lee territory, like she’s gonna swing one of those gloves propeller-style over her head before gripping it in her teeth and throwing it into the crowd.

Not feeling this one at all, SJ. You’re getting crazier in your style – and not in a good way.

You will be banned from the comments section the next time you make a comment like this. You have been warned about body snarking in the past.

Carly Clement

i agree the hair makes th!e look and she is the host of this years Gala so ofcourse she has to be OTT

Deansweetie

That hair totally looks like Gary Oldman’s in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Mrs. Julien

In a good way.

Paigealicious

Came here to post the exact thing.

jen_vasm

So did I!! Dammit!!!

Ginger

I was going to say it looked like Bette Midler’s in one of those witch movies, but I’m too lazy to look up the name and your assessment is a closer match.

Paigealicious

The witch movie that SJP was also in…Hocus Pocus 😉

demidaemon

She always did play a great ditz, which she did in two movies with Bette.

3boysful

I love the hair and dress (mostly), but oy– the tanner/bronzer/khol/pale lip!! I do get why she likes the raccoon look; up close, the black really makes her eyes sparkle. I just wish she knew how awful it looks other than in her mirror.

mlle

Imagine if her makeup team could talk her into a cat eye. Still lots of black, to contrast with her eyes, but less aging.

trisker

She’s needed an eye makeup re-do for a while now…

leilah

OMG … if I’m in bankruptcy court this week, I’ll still be laughing … !!!

FancyPhilly

I had the same thought! Or more accurately Mr. Burns on The Simpsons. There is a cartoon aspect to it.

Vanessa Reyes

omg! I thought the same thing when I saw the first pic!

Fuchsiaforever

In a bad way.

GillianHolroyd

oh, I saw this posted elsewhere–she was going up the staircase– and it looked **MUCH** better. It was one of my favorite looks for the night. She was really selling it; not just standing like a schlump. She’s one of the few that got into the Charles James spirit of things.

sugarkane105

Agreed. In other photos, this looked fabulous.

Trent

ICAM. Frankly, I’m stunned at how polarizing this look is. The shots of her elsewhere ascending the staircase are 1950’s glam perfection. And there’s a shot of her in front of the stairs, hands on hips, face in profile, that is seriously the most WERQ-worthy moment she’s ever had. And with so many meh outfits and cocktail dresses at least she honored the event’s theme.

Sarah Jacobs

Actually, I think this get up is the best evocation of Charles James at the event. Frankly, I thought it was quite brilliant. for most events. this would be cracktastic, for this..perfection.

FibonacciSequins

The dress was a nice homage to James. Hate that back panel though.

Paigealicious

I read somewhere else that the back design is supposed to mimic a dress form…

FibonacciSequins

Oh! That’s an interesting idea, at least. The graphic pattern is at cross-purposes with the sculptural form of the dress. Maybe if it had been laid against her body or in the skirt draping instead of dragging flat behind her…still hate that signature, though. Thanks for that explanation!

Kent Roby

Yes, I assumed it was meant to reference the boning/support under James’ sculptured gowns.

NilBlur

But it’s not like you’re a parade float… “Representing the spirit of tomorrow!!” Being a dress comes first.

Kent Roby

LOL, it’s not like she’s wearing a sign! However, I have personally designed and constructed numerous Mardi Gras costumes that have been mistaken for floats, so I don’t see a problem either way!

butterflysunita

Overall I love it too. It’s fun and event-appropriate.

Kent Roby

I completely agree.

boweryboy

I agree. Karolina Kurkova wore a Marchesa gown from several collections ago that I felt captured the essence of Charles James even better than SJPs. I’m surprised more attendees didn’t go the full-on ball gown route or even better by wearing some vintage James.

FibonacciSequins

I was surprised about that, too. I think Karolina’s Marchesa gown is my favorite look of the night.

marlie

It was absuloutely stunning. And perfect for the night. THAT’s the kind of crazy, over-the-top Marchesa that I love.

lunchcoma

Karolina’s gown was awesome – one of my favorites of the night!

boweryboy

The amusing thing is that’s the only dress I remember from the collection because I thought it was huge and ugly. Goes to show that sometimes the right dress on the right person at the right venue makes all the difference.

3boysful

Did you see the photo someone tweeted of the ladies’ room? Several stalls with heaped satin on the floor behind the door! Hazard of the voluminous ball gown!

boweryboy

I would love to see that.

lunchcoma

Ah, stuck in moderation. You can find it at marinarust on Instagram.

KinoEye

I just looked up Karolina’s dress and gay gasped. Absolute best look of the night, IMO.

SylviaFowler

I agree, at least she adhered to theme and dress code unlike most of the tacky people who traipsed that carpet last night.

Lilithcat

There were a number of other de la Renta gowns on the runway that evoked James, as did Sarah Silverman’s gown by Zac Posen. It seems a number of the designers reached back to that era, some more successfully than others.

“Someone released the Kraken!” is what I muttered under my breath when I saw the thumbnail.

Danielle

I don’t even know where to begin.

NMMagpie

Cinnamon bun hair.

butterflysunita

I would say the back is fabulous, except for the Oscar de la Renta signature at the bottom. That’s kind of odd.

bookish

The signature is plain old ugly, IMHO.

charlotte

And tacky. I would expect it from D&G, but not from Oscar de la Renta.

Yvette Florio Lane

As I understand, that was SJP’s personal addition to the dress, not OR’s

Trent

Whereas I loved the red signature at the back, both because of the pop of color and because it was like an artist signing his work.

Alloy Jane

I would see it that way if the dress was painted. Otherwise, this is just tacky label, like a coach bag or juicy sweatpants.

MilaXX

Another accessory let down. I don’t mind the hair, but I hate the flower thingy in it. She also doesn’t need those stupid gloves fighting the dress for attention or the do-dads on said glove. All this dress needed was a good earring.

Introspective

definitely thought the gloves were one of the biggest missteps. fighting for attention indeed.

Glam Dixie

I kind of ridiculously love this. (hides)

Rhonda Shore

I found it all rather joyful.

Carleenml

I love seeing her really smile for the first time in a long time. She loved it so I love it.

samo_samo

Hiding right along with you because I kinda love it too.

Boobs Radley

I love it, too. But “insane drag queen” is a style I aspire to.

ampg

I’m with you. It’s not perfect, but it really works with the theme and it’s exuberantly over-the-top in the way I think a lot of Met-ball-goers try for.

Malia C.

Does de la Renta often put his signature visibly on a gown like this? There’s a lot wrong with her look but I must confess, I’m most thrown by that detail which seems to be such a gauche touch for a designer who puts out such breathtaking garments.

MilaXX

allegedly its the first time.

Malia C.

Let us hope it is the last!

Alyssa

I read she asked him to put it on the gown…

Malia C.

Yikes.

boweryboy

Really? So did he make this especially for her? That would explain the tacky – which is a adjective I have never used to describe his designs until now.

Alyssa

Yeah, it was custom. Here’s the quote…I found it on Vanity Fair: “I said to Mr. De la Renta, please let me use scarlet embroidery thread, and splash your name across the back. It was my idea. He would never in a million years have done it, he’s far too modest.”

boweryboy

Well, he should have stuck to his guns and gave her an emphatic, “Hell no!”

alyce1213

Note how she used “scarlet” — much fancier than “red.” I guess that’s what sold him.

Well that should destroy any reputation she’d been trying to carry as a “fashionista.”

Danielle

Exact same thought.

Malia C.

I feel like he needed a Tim Gunn workroom intervention. “Oscar, there’s a fine line between pleasing the client and staying true to who you are!”

zenobar

“Oscar, I’m concerrrrned.”

Malia C.

“It’s looking very happy hands at home granny circle!”

SugarSnap108

In my mind, this did happen. And Oscar responded by signing the dress.

Danielle

“Oscar, look at all this flotsam and jetsam!”

Rhonda Shore

It reminds me of some Picassos, where he’d leave a corner of a canvas unfinished, on purpose.

Mrs. Julien

a. She looks like a pretty cotton boll.
b. I thought it was a great look specifically for this event.

Carrie

I hate saying this about SJP – but she really feels like a Try Hard at this point. She really doesn’t have much of a career at this point, so being a fashionista is the only thing that is keeping her in the spot light.

Sort of.

It’s keeping her there, but no longer for the right reasons. I can’t remember the last time she was fully praised for something she wore, which is a pity. If she doesn’t have a stylist at this point, she needs one or she needs to file her old one. You can see the patience running out and she needs to make a change quick.

charlotte

She seems to be one of those people who have absolutely no sense of what suits them.

Constant Reader

This is what I don’t get. She’s very pretty. She has a gorgeous figure, lots of money, and presumably enough clout to get a lot of stuff loaned to her. Why is it so hard for her to choose things she looks good in? It’s one of life’s mysteries, I guess.

charlotte

Especially since she is by far not the only one. Rashida, I’m looking at you!

FibonacciSequins

I hope T&L put up a post with Rashida. I need to examine/discuss.

R.A.

Don’t hurt me Uncles but… I liked this. I did a little gasp when I first saw her. And I HATE that fabric in all its various incarnations. But it’s just so dramatic. And I love love love her hair.

If only the hair were not so ugly, this would have been best dressed of the night for me. Because it was so on theme, and so perfect..

FibonacciSequins

That hair is frightening me.

Agree about the styling in general and gloves in particular. I wish she has safety-pinned those two back panels together, so the lattice and signature were hidden. That signature is just stupid, and not in a good way.

Jessica Freeman

I would say she was one of the looks of the night. Only the hair was over the top for me. She owned it.

A kneelength version of that dress was very big at one of our local prom dress hire companies in 1989. It didn’t have a signature on the back though.

Courtenay P

Let the Oscar de la Renta signature on the back of the dress die a thousand deaths and spend eternity in the lowest circle of hell. just no.

Prairie

She looks like a flower fairy.

eebisme

That hair makers her look like her witchy costar, Bette Midler, in Hocus Pocus.

MannahattaMamma

Maybe the hair was a slightly belated homage to May 4th, Star Wars Day? May the fourth be with you and all that–thus the Leia-buns?

alyce1213

I’m not bothered by the over-the-topness of it all. I’m just glad not to see cocker spaniel hair. I could do without the signature on the skirt, but I think the dress is super, especially since she’s co-chair this year– she needed something big. I’d have gone with black gloves — more elegant, and the whites are off.

TrixieConQueso

So long gloves are always attributed to Miss Piggy now? Gulp. (side-eyes her long glove collection…)

alyce1213

I hope not. I love long gloves, short gloves, 3/4 gloves, etc. But I think she should have worn black gloves because the top of the dress is black and the whites are off.

Glam Dixie

Just always wear them with the thought in mind that if anyone said a word to her about it, Miss Piggy would kick them in the shin.

Danielle

‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye.’

ChristySchiff

Bless you for having a long glove collection! In the immortal words of Mlle Piggy:

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may
be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a
black eye.”

FibonacciSequins

She’s practically the only fashionista left who wears them on a regular basis, so I can understand the association.

kipper

I think it is fantastic – this is what the night is all about .

kipper

One question I had all evening was how did those ladies in those HUGE skirts get to the museum ?

ashtangajunkie

TLo’s patented horse trailer idea finally came to fruition?

Allison Angier

From the neck up, this is very…people of WalMart. The only thing I like about the rest of it…is the gloves.

boweryboy

Don’t hate me, but the hair is the only thing I like about this look. The huge, red OdlR signature is just tacky – doesn’t matter how well respected a designer you are.

As a Veep fan, I have to say that what you said makes me think of the famous Selina Meyer line about trying to use a croissant as a dildo.. it doesn’t work and it makes a f**king mess. 🙂

Yes, I will have trouble with croissants forever now.. 🙂

Anna

I finally JUST started getting into Veep, haven’t seen that episode you’re referring to though. I was initially disturbed, but chocolate almond croissants are like a food group for me lol. I remain undeterred, but I’ll probably never be able to forget that line now!

Kitten Mittons

The current season of Veep had been hilarious. Love that show.

halleygee

I have seen many photos of her in this dress, but thanks to TLo I see I somehow missed the flowers in the back of the crazy hair and the crazy jewelry over the gloves. Yikes.

JR Labrador

God help me but I think I like the Cinnabon hair.

Jennifer Bober

I LOVE the drama of the gown, but the hair looked like wacked Mickey Mouse ears to me. A single high swoop would have been perfect. I could live with the gloves if they were actually the same white as the gown, but they’re not.

Natalie Lane

I refuse to apologize for absolutely LOVING this. While she should tone down the crazy on all other red carpets, The Met Gala isn’t meant for playing it safe. She went for it, and I’m sold. Love it.

I agree with you — especially when I read other critiques of outfits as “underwhelming” and “boring.” There seems to be a very narrow band of “acceptable” Or I am just spending too much time on TLo today (well, that’s always true.)

formerlyAnon

I will forgive ALL because she put her hair up in an interesting way. It’s not as flawless as I’d like, but it’s AWESOME to see it up.

I like the ensemble better than y’all. Mostly because it seems entirely silly.

ChristySchiff

I really wish someone would convince her to rethink her eye makeup. The severe eye-liner is so harsh that when I look away, I can still see it, you know?

Malia C.

I thought in a post last week, there was some speculation that she may have had permanent liner tattooed on?

ChristySchiff

Oh no! There should definitely be a five-day waiting period on that, so that you can sober up/friends can talk you out of it!

Malia C.

I can’t even imagine. I mean, I wouldn’t want a tattoo on my arm, much less an ink-filled needle anywhere near my eye!

formerlyAnon

I know people who’ve had it done, subtly. If I had money for nonessentials, I’d have it done, subtly, on my upper lids.

If under-rather than over-done it still looks fine 20 years later, just a bit smudgier and sparser. And it’s a nice boost for one’s face without effort.

Malia C.

I would have to be pumped full of sedatives to endure that procedure. I tried, once, to get a contact lens in and didn’t get closer than six inches. I’m freakishly scared of potential eyeball-related injuries. I’ll stick with easier to apply liquid liners!

demidaemon

Your fear is exactly why I have never switched to contacts. I totally cannot deal with eye stuff or eye-gore.

The dress itself is kind of awful — the bodice looks like a tank top, and the way it blends into the black rose petal thing at her waist is unflattering and confusing. The skirt looks like a wrinkled parachute, I’m shocked that this is Oscar de la Renta. And then she obliterated everything even further with the terrible styling choices — bad instincts, indeed. Someone get this woman a makeover, stat!!

numenah

As someone who still has three pairs of her mother’s opera length gloves wrapped in tissue, I don’t mind the very literal period touch that the gloves provide. The rest of the styling is a little cringeworthy,

Injustice

I love everything about this! She looks amazing–still! Love the dress, love the hair, love the jewels. She OWNED the Met that night. SJP wins fashion. I am shocked y’all didn’t love it too.

SewingSiren

Oh! Not good. It looks like a very bad attempt at Charles James four leaf clover dress. And the hair looks like that beast from Star Wars that the sand people ride.

nannypoo

I love the dress but nothing else about this is good.

wisenhar

All I can see is an Oscar de la Renta-branded cargo net to climb up to SJPs butt.

kimmeister

Yes, I thought, “how handy to provide a lattice for any elves who want to scale her backside.”

SusiePamudji

I think everything about this was perfect for the occasion. She’s one of the very few that actually brought the right amount of drama, and 100+ points for actually doing something to her hair.

&theJets

Interesting modern twist on Charles James’ “Petal” dress. I appreciated seeing this look and felt that it fit the theme of the Ball.

FibonacciSequins

After reading the wildly varied opinions on this outfit, I’m liking it more. I appreciate an outfit (or a person) that inspires such debate. SJP went for it, which is more than can be said for most of last night’s attendees.

marlie

Exactly. This wouldn’t have worked for a “regular” red carpet, but I think it’s spot-on for a Charles James-inspired red carpet. Plus, the Met gala is *supposed* to be a little over the top.

tallgirl1204

I must not be firing on all cylinders today. I found Lupita’s look rather delightful, and I like this too. It feels age-appropriate for SJP, and I like seeing her hair up. The theme is diamonds, no? So the extra bling on her arm is fine– and it’s balanced by the clean neck. The only thing I don’t care for is the Oscar signature on the back. Really? The dress can’t stand on its own, so you have to sign it? Very K-Mart.

I don’t understand how she doesn’t look at these photos of herself and go “Oh, that eyeliner is a mistake, isn’t it?”

Judy_S

Nice analysis. Last night I saw a picture and didn’t really look at the hair or gloves, but looking at them now they are redolent of Kermit’s sweetie. The buttons on the gloves are just random.

ashtangajunkie

I really like this and if she had worn black gloves, I would be in love with it.

Bobbie_Loblaw

That stupid signature on the train just cheapens the whole thing.

cowper

At least she looks like she is having a good time?

Terri Terri

As my mother used to say during the Miss America evening gown competition — “who talked her into that???”

J. Preposterice

I don’t love the dress or the styling, but I feel like SHE looks great.

Elodie

Only drag queens are allowed to have fun in over the top clothing, silly women!

Chartreusite

She could’ve won the B+W runway on drag race!

hunt3002

Opera gloves are totally appropriate for a white tie event. It just came together like a giant train wreck. Woman needs a new stylist.

majorbedhead

If the velvet had been dark green, this could almost have doubled as a bridesmaid dress I wore in 1992. Although instead of a huge red signature on the train, I had a huge green bow on my ass.

So, I kind of hate this.

kategs

yeah…the hair is just too much but I like the dress and styling. And I will join the chorus that begs her to stop with the eyeliner.

FancyPhilly

At least she is smiling.

Imasewsure

I still hate satin and it’s very Gypsy Rose for sure but it seems ok for the event… Hate hate the crayon scribble on the train though… if we need to know who designed the thing, we’ll ask…

Sarah

Back to the racoon-eyes, I see. SJP – black eyeliner is aging. Please resist in the future, if at all possible.

formerlyAnon

If she’d just lighten up on the lower lid.

Sarah

Or leave it off down there all together.

formerlyAnon

Let’s not scare her with too much change at once.

YoungSally

That first photo is so odd — almost as if she was photoshopped into the event.

MoHub

Is that a shoji screen on the back of the skirt?

ballerinawithagun

She looked fabulous on the staircase and in other photos. She was one of the few who took the Charles James theme and ran with it.

webslice33

is it a hotel bedspread with monogram??

jackie

at least her boobs look nice.

shopgirl716

I like it. The black and white theme led to way too many black dresses and a lot of boring, safe stuff. SJP is over the top but a breath of fresh air at a disappointing, fashion wise, Met Gala.

holla

this dress is the Charles James “Petal” gown, c1951, at least the front is.

JSP and her crazy styling is making this dress a bit sad.

MoHub

Exactly. It was spot-on Charles James, and then she over-accessorized it to the point of negating any appeal it might have had.

marlie

I don’t hate this, but I don’t love it either. Well… I hate her hair. But the rest of the outfit (including the gloves and over-the-top jewelry) fits with the theme of the night. The OdlR signature was unnecessary, though.

queeniethebold

Once again, the uncles nail it, full stop. i just feel embarrassed for her anymore. She looks awful. Worse, she looks ridiculous.

This sums it up perfectly:

“A simple chignon and some tasteful diamonds to punctuate.”

Exactly! For a dress like this, why in the name of all that’s holy would you do that freak show hair and those heinous bejeweled gloves?! Gack! Gack gack gack!

Why don’t more people (read: celebs with every last advantage at their fingertips) get this? (Well, OK, Charlize Theron is the perfect example of pretty much always “getting it.”).

Sissy

lolz @ Miss Piggy gloves. I think her hair is kinda fun in a sci-fi way.

The Versatile Chef

I dunno. Isn’t the Met Gala supposed to be over the top?

Jaeda Laurez

That’s what I was thinking- it’s a “more is more” type of event.

blue808

I love how she totally embraces this event and dresses balls to the wall every year! #zerofuckstogive

Jeremy

I can’t believe Oscar signed off on this dress. Literally.

Dagney

I love this! Over the top and all. I think it’s a beautiful, dramatic look.

MartyBellerMask

What a ridiculous dress.

Sam Smith

I actually luved this look, except for the signature on the dress. Total win for me.

Raspberry2012

It’s hard to see the waist, because it’s black, and the bush behind her is dark green, so I can’t see if her waist looks ill-fitted or not. But then again, that’s really the least of the problems with this look.

Corsetmaker

I like the hair, and I like gloves, I’d like to see more gloves so 😛 She does what she does and this is the place for her.
But… I don’t like the dress. Aside from the crass back view which is too awful to even discuss, it’s too literal a Charles James interpretation done badly If you’re going to reference such an iconic gown then do a decent job of it! It all looks cheap, the fit is bad and the skirt needs more support. Also the lumpen seaming on the contrast clover shape at the waist is reprehensible for a top designer!

MoHub

If you want to see Charles James done really badly, you need to check out Sandra Lee’s monstrosity.

Corsetmaker

*Cries*… why did you make me google that LOL! That’s heinous!

MoHub

I’m sorry, but I didn’t want to suffer alone.

It is to be hoped that T-Lo will post the atrocity, and we can all feel the pain together.

Corsetmaker

With some forewarning I hope so we can cover our eyes. There’s only so much anyone can stand!

MoHub

The Food Network Gossip site referred to it—appropriately—as Semi-Homemade. And that may be the only time we see fashion pix on a foodie site.

crash1212

Loved it. Theme perfect. Large. Structural. With embellishment. This look embodies all those things. Somebody said somewhere that SJP is the MVP of the Met Ball. I believe that. She looks grand and is having a grand time. Can’t ask for more than that.

Wow, this is the first thing I’ve seen her in on these pages with any decolletage. The whole get-up is daft, but she has great breasts and it’s a shame she doesn’t wear stuff that flaunts them a bit more.

Let it out

Why all the satin this year? Satin always manages to be both boring and tacky at the same time. Also, wrinkly.

suzq

I was trying to figure out what bothered me and you nailed it. Had it been an Alexander McQueen, the hair would have been warranted. McQueen wanted an “out-there” look from head to toe. But O de la R is about beauty. He signed the damn dress and wanted it to be the showcase. The hair and jewelry were so unnecessary–SJP making it all about her. I might have worn black gloves, for contrast. Too much white.

Qitkat

The back of the dress is fab-u-lus. The signature is a bit pedestrian though.
But her hair looks like Princess Leia’s buns migrated through a time warp.
I think her daughters must have helped her choose the jewelry. “Mommy, mommy, wear this one. No I want that one. Sigh, OK lovies, I will wear all of them.’

It’s not the hair so much, as the flower, which is really a Bradshaw too far. I don’t mind the jewels, but I would lose the gloves.

J.W.

Considering the theme of the gala this year, the hair makes sense as it reflects the draped gowns of Charles James in a creative way. However, IMHO, the dress/gloves/jewelry and the hair is simply too much.

tetisheri

I could maybe forgive the hair if it were done well. But it’s not. It’s terribly messy, and not in a purposely terribly messy way. I admit it, I’m kind of a hair snob. I have long hair, and it can be put up smoothly, even in a specifically messy style. It just doesn’t look good.

MarTeaNi

Fuck it, I kinda love this. This is a special collector’s edition of Met Gala Barbie 2014. She’d fit right at home with Holiday Barbie and New Year Barbie.

JaCory Deon

That dress would work at a in Harlem on a drag queen – here it looks ridiculous. And poor thing, she cannot pull off the “nude makeup” look nor the Valley of the Dolls updo. Dreadful!

j_am

I would love to see her go full Daphne Guinness crazypants from now on!

formerlyAnon

Ya know, she could pull it off. She wears clothes well and as far as I know, people like her.

(I know someone associated with one of the many charities she supports who’s met her and seen her in action at fundraising events. They say she works a room hard and is endlessly nice/patient with the “ordinary” people (fundraisers & beneficiaries) associated with the cause.)

somebody blonde

LOVE. It looks SO crazy, which makes it totally appropriate for the Met Gala.

Not applicable

1985 Prom queen– with minor updates due in part to the shortage of bonney bell lip smackers

Lilithcat

I like the dress from the front, a nice homage to Charles James. But then she turned around! Completely aside from the wedding gown buttons and the weird grid, I could not believe that Oscar has gotten so tacky that he’d put his signature out there in literally foot-high red letters.

And her jewels and hair piece and gloves look like an 8-year-old let loose in mom’s closet.

B_C_J

I love it. This is how you take chances while staying in the spirit of the theme. Love the hair accentuated by flowers & the gloves. The dress was particularly impressive as she went up the stairs.

Vtg Fashion Library

No, no, a thousand times NO.

Beardslee

SJP always thinks about the exhibit the Ball refers to, and I like that about her. She looks like she’s having fun and I love the pins on the glove. Pins and gloves, you don’t see them very often.

Pennymac

All I can see is Gary Oldman’s Dracula hair………………….

Judy_J

Oh, how I wish she’d stop outlining her eyes with that harsh black eyeliner.

Akemi

She looks completely insane.

decormaven

After looking at the NYT slideshow of the arrivals, I’m liking this more and more. This had a bit more of the sweep and flair suited for the event. I can’t wait for TLo’s rundown of other looks- there were some true trainwrecks.

dschubba

This looks like one of those mass-produced Disney Princess gowns my parents (wisely) never bought me.

I wonder what her children said about this outfit. Would pay to hear an audio recording.

Fordzo a.k.a. Fancy Mukluks

I bet her girls are fighting over the gloves today.

GoAwayKardash

DISAGREE!!! Love her and love that she really brings it to every Met Gala. Perfect for the event.

Glammie

I like the dress, but not the hair (yikes). I suppose she thought she had to balance it, being a tiny person.

Just want to say, however, that Gypsy Rose Lee had terrific taste. She’d *never* have made these kind of mistakes.

BrooklynBomber

I appreciate when she embraces her inner Carrie–because I think most actors try to get as far away as they can from the character that defined the, when that character is no longer–but this is too freakin’ much. Back to the drawing board.

BrooklynBomber

Also, isn’t there some place in Malibu where she can spend a peaceful, quiet month drinking kale shakes and getting weaned off eyeliner?

andi56

She did get one thing right! The gloves! And the women who didn’t just looked… all wrong.

Fordzo a.k.a. Fancy Mukluks

Flay me or lay me, but I like the hair.

Eric Stott

I like it – and she’s worn much worse.

luludexter

Shoot me, but I like this — except the back panel and especially the signature – so tacky! Why ruin an dramatic dress with that? I agree the long gloves are too much, and these more than anything give it a drag quality. Although I kind of like the brooches attached on the wrist there — a quirky rethink of a vintage touch.

ShaoLinKitten

My four year old fashion critic agrees with TLo: “Too crazy looking. Why is her hair like Mickey Mouse ears? That dress is biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig.”

AnneElliot

I actually like the dress from the front (that signature — seriously???); LOVE the earrings — but everything else is just TOO MUCH. The hair is awful, the extra jewelry is unnecessary, and those gloves are ridiculous.

She’s getting too old for this shit. I don’t understand why she styles herself like Carrie Bradshaw at age 35 when she KNOWS that ship sailed a loooooong time ago.

venusvelvet

The top photo of SJP from the other day reminded me of Miss Piggy. I wish Allure would do make-up interventions like they used to do make-overs from their white van. The OTT eye make-up and the frosty mauve lip color are a harsh look.

Beto

Why does her hair reminds me of Angelina Jolie’s ‘Maleficent’?

dulcian

I love the back of the dress, especially for this event (the drama of it sweeping up those red-carpeted stairs is so fun!). The peplum in the front looks like a Groucho Marx ‘stache, though. The hair and even the gloves I can get behind, but the makeup is so tired.

Jacob Bowen

If she changed the hair and took the bracelet off of the glove (the pins can stay) I would be on board…that hair alone scares me, though.

conniemd

The dress doesn’t drape to the floor properly from the front view. It looks like there are giant tumors floating on the floor at the side. I do kinda love the outrageousness of the back.

quiltrx

I like that the dress is a callback to James’ 4-leaf-clover dress, in a way…but the rest is just a hot mess.

Lol. You know you’ve got bad hair when even Homer is making fun of it.

snarkykitten

so Gary Oldman in Dracula? (which is what I’m assuming what the Simpsons was referencing)

BluesD

Had to look it up but yes, that’s exactly what they must have been doing.

Susan Carson

As someone else said, in other photos the whole look worked, but in these I am torn, not loving the windowpane back panel nor the camillias in her hair but i really did love the petal bodice shape and the creamy white silk skirt front. the big up do works for SJP, she looks pretty and happy, but the tanner/ bronzer not so much a fan.

bouionice

The hair and makeup are insane – from the front she looks like she’s got giant ram’s horns coming out of her head – and the gloves should have been ivory to match the skirt rather than pure white but the dress itself is great and really one of the few that was truly in the Charles James spirit.

DesertDweller79

Actually, I kind of LOVE it! Freaking perfect for the event/theme. I love the OTT of it. Sure, it’d be wacko anywhere else. But, here I love it.

2ranma75

This was just confusing. I esaw it and I was like “I need a minute!” So much going on every where. It’s just farfelu.

Call me Bee

Yikes. Everything you said is very true.

AndieJay

Personal pet peeve: white accessories with an off-white/ivory/cream dress. It looks lazy to me. “Mom, can I borrow your gloves?” But I am impressed that someone as physically tiny as SJP is wearing so much dress with so much poise. She could be six feet tall in those pics.

Yes! Why is she doing her eyes like that lately? It makes them look so squinty and small.

withbreaththatisbated

I’m never a fan of opera gloves, but I like this look a lot otherwise.

Man Dala

For me this was the best look on the red carpet, and that’s a lot considering that I tend to dislike (if not detest) SJP. If there is a place where you can get away with over the top execution is the Met Gala. She was probably the ONLY one who stuck to the theme, her skirt was dramatic and she was owning that event as if she has just discharged her mortgage on her Manhattan penthouse. Love the hair.

Alloy Jane

I hate the signature on the back of the dress. The jewelry on the gloves is also a “NO.” Other than that, I like it. She coulda gone with a better exuberant hairdo than this one though. That is some silly hair.

LadyVimes

Minnie Mouse Goes To The Met Gala?

ktr33

Miss Piggy gloves, yes! And I know the back of the dress has visual “interest,” but it looks cheap, junky, the buttons look plastic, the signature is goofy, the materials looks like poly! blech blecchh

I don’t know why, but this makes me think of Bette Midler in Hocus Pocus.

Tee

You say “INSANE DRAG QUEEN” like it’s a bad thing.

BuffaloBarbara

I’d kind of dig it if long gloves came back for a season or two. Maybe in time for a wedding I need to be in, where the dress has no sleeves and I want to cover up my arms. Erm, maybe that’s me.

Sorry, but when there’s a giant brand label on the back of a ball gown, I just can’t with it. I know they get lent the clothes to give attention to the designers, but that’s what the fashion reporters are for: Identifying said designers. Walking around sporting a billboard… just reminds me of those cars that people do up in advertisements to drive around and make a couple bucks a month.

I can’t decide about the hair.

Judih1

I think this is one of her better looks. I like the hair and the gloves. If anything I think the Oscar De La Renta signature is tacky!

Fuchsiaforever

So awful! All of it!

M.A

All of you posting negative and much predictive post… you WISH you could attend such an elegant and prestigious event. All of YOUR insecurities come across… you’re old, fat, poor, ghetto, bitter and a self hating homo or hag. Its sad how gay men will tear apart a woman’s choices to an Avant-garde event and actually mention what THEY would wear. You’re a MAN. You’re NOT a woman and you’re NOT SJP.

AceOn6

She should be wearing Kors. The spray tan is just orange enough.

Belvane

Now that we’ve seen more of the night’s gowns, I have to stand up for SJP here and say that she is one of the few who actually understood and interpreted the theme, both Charles James (big ball gown) and “White Tie and Decoration” (lots of accessorizing). And it’s done with some wit.

lalahartma

I dig the hair.

Pablo

I’ll take my winnings when I can get them, her make-up looks really good for once.

A Shiny O’Connor

Her hair looks like the bakery’s window display artisan loaf.

Columbinia

Too much hair and too much eyeliner of the undead. She has mannish hands, so I understand her impulse to hide them. Otherwise, what TLo said.

Clash D

Hate it. She looks like a mountain goat in a dress.

John11581

Well, at least she saved us from having to look at anything more from her underwhelming shoe line.